


Midnight Angst

by emirain



Category: Firebringer - Team StarKid
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Gen, I wrote this at 2am after reading about prehistoric human sleep shifts, Platonic Cuddling, self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-11 05:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20148214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emirain/pseuds/emirain
Summary: The tribe sleeps in shifts. Smelly Balls is always doing things wrong. Ducker is tired.





	Midnight Angst

Ducker smiled gratefully at Jemilla, happy his shift was finally over and he could sleep. He crawled a few paces away, settling down by the fire for warmth. 

Having the fire meant only one person had to keep watch during the night, which meant more sleep for everyone. Which was why Ducker was surprised to see someone sat up, very much awake, a few feet away from him.

“Smelly Balls?” Ducker asked, halfway between suspicion and concern.

Smelly Balls turned his head to look back at Ducker, hair falling over his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Why are you awake?” Ducker sat up again. “Jemilla is keeping watch.”

“I always keep watch,” Smelly Balls said with determination, puffing out his chest.

Ducker frowned. “That’s...not how it works, Smelly Balls.”

Jemilla had apparently had enough of the two chattering, standing from her vantage point and striding back over to their tiny “camp”. There weren’t enough huts built yet, so some of the tribe slept beside the fire outside the huts instead.

“Guys,” she said in a voice that was sweet but edging on something more threatening, “If you two don’t stop talking, we’ll have a tribe of six very cranky, very tired people angry at us tomorrow. We don’t want that, right guys?”

The three of them all shared a moment of imagining just how pissed off Zazzalil would be if she didn’t get her beauty sleep, feeling preemptive dread.

Both of the cavemen gave her an apologetic smile and nodded. Smelly Balls treaded over to where Ducker was seated and watched as Jemilla strode away (with less strength than she intended, as she was marching on sand).

“Troublemaker,” Ducker accused.

“You started it,” Smelly Balls mumbled, scooting a couple inches towards Ducker and facing the fire.

Ducker gave him a look, but said nothing and lied down on his back. He fell into a half-sleepy state, figuring he’d be able to actually rest once Smelly Balls also went to sleep and stopped his occasional pensive humming. 

After a short while, Smelly Balls was still sitting up and gazing straight ahead, evidently not asleep.

“S’mell,” Ducker grumbled, tugging on the other’s arm. “What are you still doing up?” His sleepy voice still had an air of aggravation.

“I can’t sleep,” Smelly Balls replied with angst. He sounded slightly less edgy at a whispered volume.

“Oh, it’s easy,” Ducker’s face fell into a familiar, arrogant smile as he pulled his friend to the sandy floor. “All you do is close your eyes—“

“No, you— you coward,” Smelly Balls tugged his arm back from Ducker. “I know how.”

Ducker looked thoroughly puzzled. “You confuse me. What’s wrong, Smelly Balls?”

“It’s Chorn.” He rolled onto his back dramatically, looking up at the sky in anguish. “She was my cuddle buddy.”

“Oh, Smelly Balls,” Ducker whispered sympathetically.

“I knew you wouldn’t get it,” He turned on his side, away from Ducker.

Ducker said nothing for a few moments, and then he had his arms around Smelly Balls.

“Melly Balls” Ducker whisper-slurred, dropping the s altogether. “Please go the fuck to sleep. Your talking hurts my head.”

“You sound like Zazzalil,” Smelly Balls tried to twist away half-heartedly, though he was clearly enjoying the proximity.

“Shhhh,” Ducker pulled Smelly Balls against his chest and tucked his chin over the smaller cave idiot’s head. “No more talking. Or I’ll command the duck to smite you.”

Smelly Balls rolled his eyes, even as he rested his head on Ducker’s collar and felt his eyes grow heavy.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no explanation for this, I apologize to everyone.


End file.
